Top 10 Strategic Sourcing Leaders

Strategic sourcing within the procurement and supply chain operation is vital. It can drive a company's success and become crucial drivers to organisational success.

Leaders are reshaping their procurement and supply chain efforts through innovation, sustainability and digital transformation. They are brining initiatives that not only optimise costs but also create long-term value for their organisations and benefit for the wider world.

Procurement Magazine looks at the top 10 leaders for their efforts in strategic sourcing.

10. Kevin Brown - Chief Supply Chain Officer, Dell Technologies

Revenue: US$88.4bn
Employees: 120,000
Founded: 1984

Kevin Brown is driving digital transformation initiatives within the supply chain, implementing advanced analytics and AI and optimising operations.

He has three decades of leadership experience under his belt across operations, technology and procurement.

Throughout his professional career, Kevin has focused on strategic and transformative initiatives, innovations and partnerships to increase efficiency, savings and effectiveness. 

9. Tania Seary - Founder, Procurious

Tania Seary is a prominent figure in the procurement world, known for founding Procurious, a global online community for procurement and supply chain professionals.

Her innovative approach to networking and knowledge-sharing has revolutionised how procurement professionals connect and learn from each other. Tania's influence extends beyond Procurious, as she is a frequent speaker and thought leader in the procurement space.

She has been instrumental in promoting the strategic importance of procurement within organisations and advocating for the professional development of procurement practitioners.

This has helped elevate the profile of procurement as a critical business function. Her focus on digital transformation and the future of work in procurement has provided valuable insights for professionals navigating the rapidly evolving business landscape.

Tania's contributions have significantly impacted the global procurement community, fostering collaboration and innovation across the industry.

8. Cyril Pourrat - Founder and CEO, BT Sourced

Revenue: (Approx) US$159.6m
Employees: 10,000
Founded: 2021

Cyril Pourrat has made significant strides in transforming procurement practices at BT. As the founder of BT Sourced, he has spearheaded the creation of a standalone procurement company within BT Group.

Cyril’s innovative approach focuses on leveraging cutting-edge technologies and fostering a startup mentality to drive efficiency and value creation in procurement operations.

He has been instrumental in implementing AI and machine learning solutions to enhance procurement processes and decision-making. His leadership has also emphasised sustainability and ethical sourcing, aligning BT's procurement practices with its broader corporate social responsibility goals.

His vision of procurement as a strategic business partner has helped elevate the function's role within BT, driving innovation and competitive advantage.

Cyril's transformative approach has positioned BT Sourced as a model for next-generation procurement organisations.

7. Lisa Martin - Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, GSK

Revenue: US$38.6bn
Employees: 70,000
Founded: 2000

Lisa Martin has been a transformative leader in GSK's procurement function, driving significant changes to align procurement with the company's overall business strategy. 

Working as the figurehead behind the company’s strategic sourcing efforts and procurement of all its purchased goods and services at GSK, while taking charge of GSK’s real estate and facilities portfolio, which entail 265 sites and 36 millions square feet.

While leading the way on its third party risk management. Before her time at GSK, she worked to overhaul Teva Pharmaceuticals’ Procurement function, where she made US$1bn in savings ahead of schedule.

In 2013 Lisa was awarded the J. Shipman Gold Medal for her service to the supply management profession.

6. Ernest Nicolas - Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP

Revenue: US$53.7bn
Employees: 58,000
Founded: 1939

Ernest Nicolas is HP's Chief Supply Chain Officer whose global supply chain delivers more than 100 million products to customers each year through a sophisticated network of HP and ODM factories, logistics providers and other valued partners.

As Chief Supply Chain Officer, Ernest drives social and environmental sustainability efforts tied directly to HP’s global reputation and business growth.

5. Karen-Marie Jordan - Chief Supply Chain Officer, PepsiCo

Revenue: US$91.4bn
Employees: 131,000
Founded: 1965​​​​​​​

Karen-Marie Jordan has played an instrumental role in transforming PepsiCo's global supply chain. Her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic ensured supply continuity while prioritising employee safety.

Karen-Marie leverages advanced analytics and AI initiatives have significantly improved operational efficiency. Advocating for sustainability within PepsiCo's supply chain and focusing on talent development demonstrate a comprehensive approach to supply chain management.

Her ability to balance short-term needs with long-term goals has been crucial to PepsiCo's success.

4. Clare Harris - Former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Shell

Revenue: US$316.6bn
Employees: 103,000
Founded: 1907

During her time at Shell, Clare led its global supply chain operations and was responsible for working with its 24,000 contractors and suppliers, to deliver US$41.5bn per year of non-hydrocarbon goods, services, marine, air and road logistics.

She joined Shell in 1998 and, aside from one year at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has been with the company for that entire time. She is “passionate about leading performance and transformation in service of energy transition and sustainability”.

In 2024, she joined energy advisor Power2X.

3. Daniel Coe - Chief Procurement Officer & President of Supply Chain Services, The Coca-Cola Company

Revenue: US$45.8bn
Employees: 79,100
Founded: 1892

As The Coca-Cola Company's CPO, Daniel is responsible for managing more than US$35bn in annual spend. In his role, he also leads The Coca-Cola Company’s procurement portfolios for agricultural commodities, equipment, logistics, marketing, general and administrative, IT, procurement analytics and supplier diversity.

He is also the Vice Chairman of the Cross Enterprise Procurement Group (CEPG). He has contributed to the company's strategic vision, helping Coca-Cola maintain its position as a leader in the beverage industry while adapting to rapidly changing market conditions.

His ability to balance innovation with operational excellence has been key to Coca-Cola's continued success in a highly competitive market.

2. Willem Uijen - Chief Procurement Officer, Unilever

Revenue: (Approx) US$66.2bn
Employees: 127,000
Founded: 1929

Willem Uijen's leadership in strategic sourcing at Unilever is defined by his commitment to sustainability, innovation and collaboration.

He promotes "procurement with purpose," aligning sourcing strategies with Unilever's sustainability goals and emphasising partnerships with suppliers who share this vision. Willem's approach focuses on creating an ecosystem of partners, integrating advanced technologies to enhance sourcing capabilities and tailoring procurement strategies to meet specific business unit needs.

His leadership balances cost efficiency with sustainable practices, ensuring that Unilever's sourcing decisions positively impact to both business performance and environmental impact.

1. Thomas Udesen - Chief Procurement Officer, Bayer

Revenue: (Approx) US$56bn 
Employees: 99,723
Founded: 1863

Thomas Udesen has been a driving force in transforming Bayer's procurement function, aligning it closely with the company's overall business strategy.

His leadership has focused on leveraging digital technologies to enhance procurement processes, implementing advanced analytics for better decision-making and fostering innovation through strategic supplier partnerships.

Thomas has been instrumental in Bayer's efforts to create a more sustainable and ethical supply chain, championing initiatives to reduce environmental impact and ensure responsible sourcing.

He is also a co-founder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge, demonstrating his commitment to driving industry-wide change. Thomas's strategic vision extends to talent development, promoting diversity and inclusion within the procurement organisation.

His ability to balance cost optimisation with value creation has been crucial in supporting Bayer's mission to deliver innovative solutions in health and nutrition.

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